This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of children living in the city or the countryside from the general training exam.
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Dave
IELTS Essay General Training: Children & the Countryside
Some people believe that children should grow up in the city while others believe the countryside is a better choice.
Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
Many think that children ought to be raised in the city, while others feel a rural setting contributes to a better childhood. In my opinion, though living in the countryside allows children to learn a variety of useful skills, the crucial life skill is learned in the city.
Children who grow up in the countryside tend to have a good grasp of many household jobs. In the countryside, it is more difficult and expensive to bring in a maid or handyman for assistance. As a result, many country kids that live on farms or in remote areas must lend a hand in taking care of the livestock, cooking for the family, and undertaking various small repairs around the home. Children living in the city, in contrast, are more likely to get their food from restaurants and spend more time focused on their homework, not taking on an active engagement with the environment around them. Over time, the gulf in terms of what a child from the countryside from city can do widens.
Nonetheless, the city is better for raising children because of the social skills one can learn there. Children from country often find themselves a product of their unique household and struggle to adapt to different social spheres if they move to the city for work. Those who grow up in the city have to interact with other children from a variety of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds on a daily basis. In order to do this, they develop greater empathy for others and improve their conversational skills. They may switch from one group of friends to another or interact with adults with diverse occupations and nationalities, all contributing to their social education. The end result is that they grow up with a far keener understanding of how to communicate and connect with people, a skill of singular value.
In conclusion, children in the country learn a number of practical skills but lag behind in terms of social skills. Parents must weigh many competing priorities but if all factors are equal, they should opt for urban life.
Analysis
1. Many think that children ought to be raised in the city, while others feel a rural setting contributes to a better childhood. 2. In my opinion, though living in the countryside allows children to learn a variety of useful skills, the crucial life skill is learned in the city.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion and choose a side. Read more about introductions here.
1. Children who grow up in the countryside tend to have a good grasp of many household jobs. 2. In the countryside, it is more difficult and expensive to bring in a maid or handyman for assistance. 3. As a result, many country kids that live on farms or in remote areas must lend a hand in taking care of the livestock, cooking for the family, and undertaking various small repairs around the home. 4. Children living in the city, in contrast, are more likely to get their food from restaurants and spend more time focused on their homework, not taking on an active engagement with the environment around them. 5. Over time, the gulf in terms of what a child from the countryside from city can do widens.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Focus on the countryside and include specific details.
- Explain the results.
- Contrast with city kids.
- Conclude with a strong statement.
1. Nonetheless, the city is better for raising children because of the social skills one can learn there. 2. Children from country often find themselves a product of their unique household and struggle to adapt to different social spheres if they move to the city for work. 3. Those who grow up in the city have to interact with other children from a variety of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds on a daily basis. 4. In order to do this, they develop greater empathy for others and improve their conversational skills. 5. They may switch from one group of friends to another or interact with adults with diverse occupations and nationalities, all contributing to their social education. 6. The end result is that they grow up with a far keener understanding of how to communicate and connect with people, a skill of singular value.
- Write another clear topic sentences with another clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific details/examples.
- Continue developing the same main idea.
- This paragraph should be longer and more detailed because you agree with this side.
- State the end results and their importance.
1. In conclusion, children in the country learn a number of practical skills but lag behind in terms of social skills. 2. Parents must weigh many competing priorities but if all factors are equal, they should opt for urban life.
- Summarise your main ideas and repeat your opinion.
- Add a final thought/detail. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean?
Many think that children ought to be raised in the city, while others feel a rural setting contributes to a better childhood. In my opinion, though living in the countryside allows children to learn a variety of useful skills, the crucial life skill is learned in the city.
Children who grow up in the countryside tend to have a good grasp of many household jobs. In the countryside, it is more difficult and expensive to bring in a maid or handyman for assistance. As a result, many country kids that live on farms or in remote areas must lend a hand in taking care of the livestock, cooking for the family, and undertaking various small repairs around the home. Children living in the city, in contrast, are more likely to get their food from restaurants and spend more time focused on their homework, not taking on an active engagement with the environment around them. Over time, the gulf in terms of what a child from the countryside from city can do widens.
Nonetheless, the city is better for raising children because of the social skills one can learn there. Children from country often find themselves a product of their unique household and struggle to adapt to different social spheres if they move to the city for work. Those who grow up in the city have to interact with other children from a variety of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds on a daily basis. In order to do this, they develop greater empathy for others and improve their conversational skills. They may switch from one group of friends to another or interact with adults with diverse occupations and nationalities, all contributing to their social education. The end result is that they grow up with a far keener understanding of how to communicate and connect with people, a skill of singular value.
In conclusion, children in the country learn a number of practical skills but lag behind in terms of social skills. Parents must weigh many competing priorities but if all factors are equal, they should opt for urban life.
Answers
ought should
raised grow up
rural setting countryside
contributes to give to
countryside rural areas
variety lots of different types
crucial life skill important ability for life
tend to have usually have
good grasp can do well
household jobs chores, odd jobs
handyman person who fixes things
assistance help
remote areas rural areas, isolated places
lend a hand help out
taking care of looking after
livestock animals on a farm
undertaking doing
repairs fixing
in contrast compared to/however
taking on engaged with
active engagement fully involved with
gulf gap
in terms of as it relates to
widens gets larger
nonetheless regardless
social skills communicating with others
a product of the result of
unique household idiosyncratic home
struggle have trouble
adapt change
social spheres different groups of people
interact with talk to
ethnic race
socioeconomic backgrounds how rich you are
daily basis everyday
greater empathy for others understand others better
conversational skills being able to talk well
switch change
diverse occupations different jobs
nationalities from different countries
end result final outcome
far keener understanding better handle on
communicate talk to
connect understand
singular value inimitable importance
lag behind fall behind
weigh many competing priorities consider different interests
if all factors are equal everything the same
opt choose
urban life city life
Pronunciation
ɔːt
reɪzd
ˈrʊərəl ˈsɛtɪŋ
kənˈtrɪbju(ː)ts tuː
ˈkʌntrɪˌsaɪd
vəˈraɪəti
ˈkruːʃəl laɪf skɪl
tɛnd tuː hæv
gʊd grɑːsp
ˈhaʊshəʊld ʤɒbz
ˈhændɪmən
əˈsɪstəns
rɪˈməʊt ˈeərɪəz
lɛnd ə hænd
ˈteɪkɪŋ keər ɒv
ˈlaɪvstɒk
ˌʌndəˈteɪkɪŋ
rɪˈpeəz
ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst
ˈteɪkɪŋ ɒn
ˈæktɪv ɪnˈgeɪʤmənt
gʌlf
ɪn tɜːmz ɒv
ˈwaɪdnz
ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs
ˈsəʊʃəl skɪlz
ə ˈprɒdʌkt ɒv
juːˈniːk ˈhaʊshəʊld
ˈstrʌgl
əˈdæpt
ˈsəʊʃəl sfɪəz
ˌɪntərˈækt wɪð
ˈɛθnɪk
ˌsəʊsɪəʊˌɛkəˈnɒmɪk ˈbækgraʊndz
ˈdeɪli ˈbeɪsɪs
ˈgreɪtər ˈɛmpəθi fɔːr ˈʌðəz
ˌkɒnvəˈseɪʃənl skɪlz
swɪʧ
daɪˈvɜːs ˌɒkjʊˈpeɪʃənz
ˌnæʃəˈnælɪtiz
ɛnd rɪˈzʌlt
fɑː ˈkiːnər ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ
kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt
kəˈnɛkt
ˈsɪŋgjʊlə ˈvæljuː
læg bɪˈhaɪnd
weɪ ˈmɛni kəmˈpiːtɪŋ praɪˈɒrɪtiz
ɪf ɔːl ˈfæktəz ɑːr ˈiːkwəl
ɒpt
ˈɜːbən laɪf
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
Many think that children o_______t to be r________d in the city, while others feel a r______________g c__________________o a better childhood. In my opinion, though living in the c_____________e allows children to learn a v__________y of useful skills, the c______________l is learned in the city.
Children who grow up in the countryside t__________________e a g___________p of many h__________________s. In the countryside, it is more difficult and expensive to bring in a maid or h_____________n for a____________e. As a result, many country kids that live on farms or in r______________s must l_________________d in t______________e of the l_____________k, cooking for the family, and u_______________g various small r______________s around the home. Children living in the city, i______________t, are more likely to get their food from restaurants and spend more time focused on their homework, not t_____________n an a____________________t with the environment around them. Over time, the g_____f i______________f what a child from the countryside from city can do w__________s.
N_____________s, the city is better for raising children because of the s_______________s one can learn there. Children from country often find themselves a________________f their u__________________d and s____________e to a_________t to different s__________________s if they move to the city for work. Those who grow up in the city have to i_________________h other children from a variety of e_________c and s___________________________s on a d_______________s. In order to do this, they develop g___________________________s and improve their c________________________s. They may s_________h from one group of friends to another or interact with adults with d______________________s and n_________________s, all contributing to their social education. The e_______________t is that they grow up with a f_________________________g of how to c___________________e and c___________t with people, a skill of s____________________e.
In conclusion, children in the country learn a number of practical skills but l______________d in terms of social skills. Parents must w_______________________s but i________________________l, they should o___t for u__________________e.
Listening Practice
Learn about the costs of raising kids in New York City:
Reading Practice
Learn here about the benefits of raising kids in the countryside:
http://thestir.cafemom.com/being_a_mom/177008/reasons_raise_kids_country_benefits
Speaking Practice
Answers the following questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Where you Live
My sample speaking for these questions is here.
- Where do you live at the moment?
- What do you like about your neighborhood?
- Are there any parks where you live?
Writing Practice
Write about the following related topic and then check with my sample answer:
It is better for children if the whole family including aunts, uncles and so on are involved in a child’s upbringing, rather than just their parents.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
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